Aurel slumped into the seat of the train, his body still aching from the transformation. The silver and chrome interior of the high-speed rail buzzed quietly around him, but he barely noticed it. He was too preoccupied with the unfamiliar weight of his own limbs, the strange tension in his muscles, the eerie glow that still lingered in his eyes.
It was like being trapped inside someone else's skin. Every movement felt... off. Too smooth. Too fast. When he'd boarded the train, he'd almost stumbled, the power in his legs sending him lurching forward when he'd only intended to step lightly. Even now, the small adjustments he made to shift in the seat felt wrong. Alien.
He sighed, leaning back and staring out the window as the train sped through Citico City, the glass towers and buzzing airbuses streaking by in a blur of lights and motion. The horizon was lit with the fading orange glow of the setting sun, casting long shadows over the city streets. Aurel could see people below going about their lives, just as they always had.
But for him, nothing was the same anymore.
He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the train window—silver hair, crimson eyes, sharp features. It wasn't just the color that had changed; there was something predatory in the way he looked now, something more dangerous. His gaze lingered on his reflection for a moment before he turned away, the unease gnawing at him again.
What the hell is going on with me?
He had walked out of the clinic without any real answers. The nurse had been useless—terrified, even. She hadn't been able to explain why his first trait, Adaptability, had no ranking. No one had told him how many genetic locks he'd even broken. That was supposed to be standard. Every individual who received the Mana Vaccine was given a breakdown of how many locks had been unlocked, each one signifying a level of potential. The more locks broken, the more traits they could develop.
But for Aurel, there had been nothing. No information, no explanation. Just Adaptability and a vague sense of dread that something was seriously wrong.
He glanced down at his wrist, where his Ability Tracker Watch sat snugly against his skin. The sleek black band was government-issued to everyone who received the vaccine. It was supposed to monitor their abilities, provide real-time updates on their progress, and connect to the My Ability website, a system that cataloged every trait, power, and skill in the population. It was all overseen by a powerhouse with the rare ability of Analysis—someone who could see into the very core of people's genetic potential.
If anyone could make sense of his strange trait, it would be them.
Aurel tapped the screen of his watch, pulling up the holographic interface. The cool blue light illuminated his face as the My Ability website loaded. For a moment, hope flickered inside him. Maybe there had just been a delay at the clinic. Maybe his results were already logged into the system.
But then the screen flashed red.
ACCESS DENIED
Aurel blinked, staring at the words in disbelief. He tapped the screen again, refreshing the page. The same message appeared, pulsing angrily on the display.
ACCESS DENIED
His heart sank, frustration bubbling up inside him. How could there be an access error? The system was foolproof, backed by layers of government oversight and controlled by someone who could analyze everything down to the smallest detail.
"What the hell...?" he muttered under his breath, swiping through the menus again. But no matter where he looked, the same thing appeared. Every description of his ability was locked behind the same wall of Access Denied. No traits listed. No rankings. Nothing but a blank space where his potential was supposed to be.
Aurel clenched his fist, his nails digging into his palm as his mind raced. He had never heard of anything like this happening before. For all the wild stories he'd heard about people gaining incredible powers—abilities that could tear apart mountains or bend reality—he'd never heard of someone being completely locked out of their own genetic information.
Adaptability. That was all he knew. No rank. No explanation.
The train's automated voice announced his stop, jolting him out of his thoughts. With a groan, he pushed himself to his feet, still unsteady in his new body. Every step felt heavier, his center of gravity shifted by the sudden increase in muscle mass. He stumbled again as he exited the train, cursing under his breath.
The city streets were quiet, the air cool as night began to settle over Citico. His apartment wasn't far—just a short walk from the station—but each step was a reminder of how different he was now. His legs moved too quickly, his arms swinging in a rhythm that felt off. Even the air around him felt different, the mana in it more noticeable, almost like he could taste it on his tongue.
Aurel finally reached his apartment, a cramped, single-room unit that had always felt too small. Tonight, it felt suffocating. He kicked off his shoes, collapsing onto the tiny couch in the corner, staring up at the ceiling.
"Access denied..." he muttered, his voice tinged with frustration.
He flicked his watch on again, glaring at the screen, hoping for some kind of change. But the same red letters stared back at him.
ACCESS DENIED
He growled, throwing his arm back down, the watch tapping against the side of the couch. What was he supposed to do now? The clinic had been useless, the system locked him out, and he had no way of knowing how many genetic locks he'd even broken, let alone what Adaptability actually meant.
His stomach growled, interrupting his spiraling thoughts. He hadn't eaten all day. Too nervous about the vaccine, too distracted by the weird transformation afterward. Now his body was reminding him that it needed fuel.
He dragged himself into the tiny kitchenette, rummaging through the nearly empty fridge. His parents' monthly stipend was just enough to keep him fed and housed, but luxuries like fresh groceries were a bit beyond reach. He pulled out a half-eaten container of takeout, giving it a suspicious sniff. The chicken didn't smell quite right, but he was too hungry to care.
Aurel wolfed it down, barely tasting the food as he devoured the slightly soggy rice and suspiciously undercooked chicken. He grimaced at the texture, but hunger won out over caution. When the meal was finished, he tossed the empty container into the trash, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.
It didn't take long for the first signs to hit.
His stomach twisted violently, a sharp pain lancing through his gut. Aurel doubled over, gripping the countertop as the room spun around him. His skin broke out into a cold sweat, nausea rising in his throat.
What the hell...?
He stumbled to the bathroom, barely making it in time as his body rejected the food he had just eaten. His vision swam, bile rising in his throat, but there was something else. Something different.
It wasn't just nausea. His body felt... wrong. His skin tingled, his muscles twitching in strange, unpredictable spasms. The pain in his stomach grew worse, as if something was tearing through his insides. But as quickly as it had come, the sensation faded, leaving behind only a dull ache and an odd sense of calm.
Aurel wiped the sweat from his brow, his breath coming in shallow gasps as he slumped against the bathroom wall. His entire body felt like it had just been put through a blender. He glanced down at his wrist again, half expecting to see nothing but the same access denial message on his watch.
But this time, something was different.
His watch beeped softly, the screen lighting up with a new notification. Aurel stared at it, his eyes widening in disbelief.
New Trait Unlocked: Poison/Disease Resistance (Rank: Common)
Traits and abilities were different. Abilities were the flashy, supernatural powers people could activate and control—skills like telekinesis or fire manipulation. Traits, on the other hand, were passive. They worked behind the scenes, constantly active without any effort on the user's part. They shaped a person's natural resistance, endurance, or talents. Most people only unlocked a few traits throughout their lifetime, and they often became key factors in determining how well they survived in a world overrun by mana.
Trait: Poison/Disease Resistance
Rank: Common
Description: This trait grants a heightened resistance to toxins and pathogens. The body adapts quickly to harmful substances, minimizing the impact of poisons, bacteria, viruses, and other harmful agents. The extent of resistance increases with each exposure.
Aurel blinked at the screen,
Aurel's mind raced as he absorbed the information. This wasn't an ability he could summon or control like the flashy powers most people craved. This was a passive defense mechanism that was constantly working in the background. It explained how his body had adapted so quickly to the bad food—his system had identified the threat and immediately responded by becoming resistant to it.